What is 'left'?

statism has nothing to do with left/right division, state is only means to an end, not the ultimate goal

moreso than monarchism.
these days though it's not because of it's conflicts with popular power and communism.

Socialism is not when the government does things.

Also, why american left is so often individualistic and liberal?

It used to be in the French Revolution. Now it's the establishment, and the new capitalist ruling class uses it to maintain its power.

because the american left got cucked in the 70s.

I don't see this, oppression of peasants in feudalism was significantly lower than opression of workers in capitalism.

That's why old, reactionary right, before French Revolution, was in fact closer to common goal with new, revolutionary left like anarchists, communists and syndicalists.

...

because once you taste freedom it's hard to go back

Oppression can be defined in any number of ways. Peasants were slaves. Proletariats are just poor. Peasants had land (until the enclosure movement), Proletariats had nothing. Peasants were literally subject to another kind of law, proles had legal equality.